Field School Voiceshttps://thefieldschool.wordpress.com
Voices and Musings, From and About The Field School, Washington, DCSat, 10 Mar 2018 07:04:10 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngField School Voiceshttps://thefieldschool.wordpress.com
Field at 40 – A Celebratory Reflection by an Alumni Parenthttps://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/field-at-40-a-celebratory-reflection-by-an-alumni-parent/
https://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/field-at-40-a-celebratory-reflection-by-an-alumni-parent/#respondFri, 24 May 2013 19:43:18 +0000http://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/?p=1414Continue reading →]]>Alumni Parent Helen Steinberg celebrates The Field School in its fortieth year by sharing her thoughts and impressions of the school.

Before my daughter Arielle applied to The Field School, in 1994, I had heard the name, Elizabeth Ely, echoed through the years. When anyone mentioned Elizabeth, it was always in the context of her incredible talents as an educator, her amazing intuition about the needs of kids, her humanity and her dedication to a diverse educational environment. For many years, I wondered, who is this woman and how will I ever meet her?

Well, the moment came when I accompanied Arielle to her interview, yes, the famous admissions interview, for which I wasn’t fully prepared. I had never experienced anything like it. As soon as we entered Elizabeth’s warm and worn office, with her big, beautiful wooden desk, decorated by students’ paintings, photographs and ceramic pieces, I knew that The Field School was unlike any educational setting that I had experienced. And there was no doubt in my mind that Elizabeth was not your typical Head of School.

She immediately put Arielle at ease and asked the most interesting and unexpected questions, such as, “if you won a million dollars, how would you spend it?” Initially caught off guard, I listened to Arielle’s thoughtful answer and realized that Elizabeth’s focus was on one’s character and humanity, not so much on the mundane “what’s your favorite subject” questions. She listened intently and responded warmly. At that moment, I realized that Field was a very special place, led by a very special person.

When Elizabeth asked me to be the first President of the Parents Association, I was thrilled because I knew that we could try to ease the workload and demands of the faculty. This was a time when Elizabeth and the Board faced the difficult reality that Field needed a new home, and the search for the perfect location was underway. Elizabeth knew that if Field was to move, it had to stay Field. That meant that she didn’t want a standard, rectangular-shaped school – the shape, colors, furniture and setting had to feel warm and cozy.

Field on Foxhall surpassed all of our dreams – it has it all. But more important than the physical structure is that Field has remained Field, but in its 40 years, it has grown into an educational environment that has something for everyone. Elizabeth’s dream lives on….ultimately, she said that she wanted “students who marched to different drummers, to march together under one roof.”

With the torch passed on to Dale, The Field School has continued in its original mission of nurturing it students, while engaging them in a challenging and creative curriculum. With veteran faculty, such as Will, Natalia and Chris and an outstanding new faculty and staff, we know that The Field School is on solid ground.

The juniors, along with the English 11 teachers, smile before heading off campus for a Transcendentalism-related field trip.

The week before spring break all 11th grade students, along with families and faculty, enjoyed a Transcendentalism Evening at school. This was part of a culminating third quarter project that English 11 does every year, in which students study Transcendentalist authors – Thoreau, Emerson, Dickinson, Whitman – and then create their own projects out of the inspiration that comes with the many readings they have completed and discussions they have had. A handful of the parents who attended the Transcendentalism Evening shared their thoughts on the event.

Tracy A. Zorpette: The teachers asked the students to go deeper with the ideas presented by the Transcendentalists — and the students delivered. From pressure to conform, to solitude, to living simply, to being part of the natural world, the students vigorously and creatively engaged with the themes of Emerson, Thoreau, Dickinson and Whitman. These teenagers made themselves vulnerable in their honesty and exposure of their hopes, fears and struggles. Bravo to the teachers for nurturing them through these turbulent years, and to the school as a whole for insisting on an education that goes beyond test scores.

Salma and Arif Ali: Arif and I were completely blown away by the evening. We noted to each other that this is exactly why we chose Field. You have a unique way of encouraging each student to reveal their texture, and to celebrate who they are at this moment, while they continue on their journey. Thank you. A great, big, sincere, heartfelt thank you.

Students and parents admire the work on display during the Transcendentalism Evening.

Deborah Ellick: Stephen and I were touched, entertained, educated and amazed at the Transcendentalism evening. We loved how the students made conscientious efforts to go out of their comfort zone to discuss some hard but realistic life issues. It is not easy at 17 years old to dig deep into the meaning and psychology of the author’s writings to find depth and purpose in their own lives and compare them to the authors of an entirely different generation. The English project that Field requires for the students to learn was eye opening for our son and clearly for the students who presented Tuesday night. Hooray for Field students for sharing their experiences. Thanks for sharing a piece of you with the parent community. We applaud you.

Jodee A. Z. Lichtenstein: We were so impressed with how open the presenters were and how respectful, kind and supportive the student audience was. I think this is unique at Field to find a student body so supportive of their peers. We were impressed by the quality of the final projects and the amount of work and thought that was put into the projects. Lastly, we were impressed by the teachers and how supportive and pleased they were about their student projects. You could see in the teachers eyes and actions how moved they were by the work their students put forth.

Penny Catterall: I loved how honest and open the students were about their experiences and what they learned about themselves, even if it was somewhat difficult for them to discuss in public. I also really enjoyed the diversity of projects, from art to film to poetry. It was great to see how many different directions students were able to take from this one unit!

Susie Antebi: I really was very impressed with the candid and honest presentations of the students. I was moved by their sincerity and their fragility. They captured the essence of the project and the incredible display of creativity was amazing.

A group of The Field School internship mentors pose in their Team WIN t-shirts.

Winter Internship is a unique program to The Field School that has been in place since 1976. It began with the intention of providing students with a chance to spend two weeks pursuing fields of interest that would allow them to learn, grow, and gain new experiences outside of the classroom. Below are several students’ account of their most recent Winter Internship.

Jules Feeney and Ezra Wright interned together with Earth Conservation Corps. During their internship, Jules and Ezra both worked, along with their Internship host, on an article about the Anacostia Raptor Watch with Earth Conservation Corps/Wings Over America. Below is a piece of the email they sent out to everyone associated with the organization-

Ezra Wright learns about wild species of birds during his internship with the Anacostia Raptor Watch.

Jules and Ezra: “Hello friends and partners of the Earth Conservation Corps. As many of you know, for the past few weeks we have been working to finalize an outline for our Anacostia Raptor Watch program. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate our organization’s mission: To empower our endangered youth. To reclaim the Anacostia River, their communities and their lives. Thank you all for your support and we look forward to working with you.”

Jules and Ezra then sent their draft out to all members of the Earth Conservation Corps community — an impressive feat for two high school students! Their work was integral to the creation of the article and subsequently to the entire organization.

Max Liffman helped out, over internship, at Bethesda Pet Shoppe, where he was immersed in many aspects of the retail pet business. He did much feeding of the animals, cleaned cages, inventory work, helped customers and even was able to learn how to use the register. His hosts loved him and would have hired him if he were old enough!

Steven Brenner poses for a smile in the office with Senator Tim Kaine.

Steven Brenner interned with Senator Tim Kaine. “One highlight was accompanying the Senator to the Senate floor and breathing in democracy. Another was feeling welcomed by the Senator’s Chief of Staff and talking soccer with him.”

Steven had worked on the Kaine campaign during the summer and fall, so he knew the ropes, and understood the tasks of setting up a new Senate office. Steven’s supervisors kept saying how lucky they were to have him, that he was a huge help, and that they were going to miss him when internship ended.

Eva Shuman earns her WIN button.

Eva Shuman interned at the Arlington Food Assistance Program. “One highlight of my internship was doing the distribution of food to the people who come to the food shelf,” Eva remarked. “It was really nice to meet the people that we were helping out and to know that they truly get what they need because of the organization. During the internship I did client food distribution, produce bagging, warehouse and food organization, and I worked on different small projects such as gardening.”

By the end of Eva’s internship she was leading tours of new volunteers and showing them the ropes of the program. She was described as superior in every way. Her hosts were impressed with her confidence and skills and her ability to handle every task passed her way. Yet another successful internship experience from The Field School!

Brandon Golden, in his element.

Brandon Golden has worked in three film internships, starting with Guggenheim Productions in grade 10, and Loki Films with Alumni Rachel Grady in 11th. This year Brandon assisted with a TV show called Turn and Burn, writing transcripts and pitching his own ideas.

“I enjoyed using advanced software,” Brandon added. “I got good learning experiences for [the future].” These will come especially in handy over the summer, because Brandon was offered a summer internship to continue his work.

Kendall Close interned with Social Driver, a digital consulting agency. Kendall: “A highlight was doing client research for a company making an electric motorcycle and helping them figure out the demographic they should appeal to. Another highlight was working with people who trusted me with big projects and treated me like an adult.”

Kendall’s supervisor, as well as another owner of the company, expressed their pleasure with Kendall’s performance in the office. They noted how great Kendall was at self-managing herself throughout the day – a truly successful first Field internship experience for Social Driver.

Jana Cohen is in the center, posing with several other middle school students.

Jana Cohen interned at her former elementary school, Janney, in a 3rd grade classroom. She was a wonderful asset to the teacher and school. The teacher Jana was working with took ill during the second week of internship and had set up a lesson plan for text-based discussions about local, state and federal governments as well as the Bill of Rights. It turned out that the substitute was confident enough in Jana to have her lead the class on those subjects while the substitute observed. Jana did a terrific job presenting the material and leading the class in discussion.

Roy: “My favorite part of the internship was building a sea perch [underwater robot] in the lab. Soldering switches and buttons on the circuit board was also fun. My advice [to other students] is to check out the Hot Leads board, because that’s how I found my internship.”

From the Naval Surface Warfare Center Host: “For activities, we first started each student with learning a new skill. Both were introduced to the Computer Aided Design software package, Rhino. Both Roy and Aaron picked up on the tool quickly and they finished the tutorials in record time. We then introduced them to Navy hull form design by having them generate hull shapes through a computer program called HULLGEN. Next up for them was creating a 3-D model of a shaft dynamometer that will be used for an upcoming Navy submarine test.

In addition to the technical work they accomplished, we also provided each an opportunity for some hands-on activities and on their last day with us, Roy and Aaron helped out and supported the visit of 100 middle school students who were with us as part of our STEM outreach initiative. Both students were pleasures to host and are, yet again, great representatives of the high standards expected of students from The Field School.”

]]>https://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/winter-internship-2013/feed/0thefieldschool67840_10151284996468482_1446244263_n7116997947_b6beea09aeBrennernonameGoldenmath counts (Cohen)Field Alum and Parent Celebrates the Roots and Future of the Schoolhttps://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/1237/
https://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/1237/#commentsMon, 11 Mar 2013 17:50:48 +0000http://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/?p=1237Continue reading →]]>On Saturday evening, March 2, 2013, The Field School held a dinner in the Cafrtiz Living Room for all its current and former trustees. This was the third “reunion” for the people who have acted as the stewards for Field’s development since its origin in 1972 in The Wonder Building, just north of Dupont Circle. It was a wonderful evening, bringing together dozens of people who have helped the school to grow, to thrive, and to educate generations of brilliant young people. The Field School is grateful to every one of its trustees, past and present.

In addition, the dinner was attended by some veteran teachers and by a special guest who acted as the evening’s featured speaker: Meg Kelly Rizolli. Meg graduated from The Field School in 1978. Her daughter Sally Rizzoli graduated from Field in 2008, and her son Tommy Rizzoli is currently in the 11th grade. In the beautifully written remarks that follow, Meg drew together our school’s past and its present, demonstrating the “through-line” of a belief in individual students and in certain values that have not changed. Here are the thoughts that Meg shared:

I came to Field in 1977. Field was in its infancy, but it was the only school I’ve been to before or since, that didn’t have a baby-food approach to education. Field wasn’t teachers coaxing tiny spoonfuls of Shakespeare down our throats. Field was an intellectual brawl. Field was Sharaine Ely perched on a stool, with a scarf around her neck, having us read 18th century poems about seduction and passion. Out loud. In front of each other. Boys and girls. Once we realized, and we all did at once, that “a spangled breastplate” was a bra, and that this guy wanted this girl to take hers off—we were hooked – I still read 18th century poetry. Sharaine not only woke us up to John Donne and Ben Johnson, she woke us up to our minds, which is the greatest and rarest gift a teacher can give.

Sharaine was the kind of teacher most people get, if they’re lucky, once. At Field, she stood tall but not alone. Elizabeth knew how to pick teachers: Mark Olcott turned the chaotic jumble of history into an orderly sequence of cause and effect. The stream that was early America became a widening and deepening river that rolled towards us. David Lear taught Economic History using Galbraith’s “Age of Uncertainty” and Heilbronner’s “The Worldy Philosophers” for text books. Both books started with Adam Smith, trudged through the Industrial Revolution, Karl Marx and the World Wars, but one came from a liberal perspective and one from a conservative. That was Elizabeth all over. She didn’t want to drive us to her point of view, or the school’s, she wanted to drive us to think. She encouraged the teachers to give thesis and anti-thesis, so we could come to our own synthesis. Very few schools do this and yet it’s what education really is. The right to think was a deeply-held value for Elizabeth. She understood that in order to risk thinking, people and especially young ones, have to feel safe. So she made a school where they were.

One of the people we read and debated about in Economic History was a man with the delightfully Wodehousian name of Thornstein Veblan. Mr. Veblan had ticked off every one of the 400 families that made up 19th century society in New York by comparing them to the primitives tribes of New Guinea.

Both, he wrote, liked to wear their wealth on their bodies, (coining the phrase “conspicuous consumption”), both steered their children into marriages that were at least partly, mercantile arrangements, and both shunned people who were different.

Thornstein Veblen was right, most of the world does operate along tribal lines, but I remember thinking that Field was an exception. At Field, people had their friends, but no one group was deemed superior, and no one was shunned. There was one boy in my class who wore a three piece suit to school every day, with a tie – this was in the 70’s – he was not only liked, he was respected. That was a direct reflection of Elizabeth’s values. She respected him, as she respected all of us. It didn’t matter that he didn’t dress like the rest of the tribe. He mattered because humanity matters.

Elizabeth built a school where it was okay to risk saying the wrong, silly, odd or dumb thing. Coming to Field was the beginning, for many children, of unclenching. Nothing grows when it’s clenched, at least not as it’s meant to. Under Elizabeth, children straightened up and reached for the sun.

In April of 2003, my brother, a reporter covering the war, was killed in Iraq. In one phone call, the family we were was gone forever. My husband and I packed up our two children, Sally and Tommy and moved back to Washington to be with my parents. It was June. Sally was going to be a sophomore and we lived in North East where the high school was failing. I called Elizabeth, not because she was the founder of The Field School, but because she was one of the touchstones in my life. As I drove up to the new campus, she was standing outside the Cafritz House, waiting for me. I didn’t even park; I just got out and ran into her arms. It was like coming home. I never did ask her advice about where to send Sally. I never had to. Before the hug was over, she’d invited Sally to Field.

I was so happy that my dear daughter was going to be under Elizabeth’s wing, and so upset when Elizabeth flew away. It took me a while to see that Field was still Field. It started with seeing Sally smile all the time. She’s always been a smiley child. But death ends the care-free part of childhood and Sally had been somber since my brother’s. Field made her care-free again. It didn’t know it was possible and am still grateful and amazed.

Then there was the day when she said, “You know what I love about Field? Nobody judges you.” It was like hearing my voice echo back after almost thirty years. Then there were her teachers, the great poetry she wrote, the math tests she flunked, the excitement when she talked about her classes, especially Tait’s. She was thrilled. I didn’t have to remember that thrill, it’s still with me. The thrill of finding your mind, what it’s good at, what it stinks at and what rockets it to the next stratosphere lasts forever.

This fall my son Tommy started Field as a junior. When I dropped him off on his first day, I saw Will Layman leading a band up to the balcony to play welcoming music. I suddenly remembered walking up to Field on my first day with my little sister, Nell. A boy was on the porch welcoming people with an Italian opera, making it up as he went along. I drove off teary with happiness about the great journey Tommy was about to begin—and a little worried. Field was no longer in its infancy. It had grown-up pressures and grown-up competition and Elizabeth was gone. I wondered if grown-up Field still had room for smart kids who don’t get smart kid grades. Or kind kids who aren’t going to an Ivy. Or kids who would rather kick a soccer ball than read a book. Or kids who were playing catch-up because they couldn’t hear when they were little. I hoped so because Tommy was all of those kids.

Tommy’s voice quickly became part of what is now, a family echo. When he talks about not being able to figure out if a teacher votes Republican or Democrat because the teacher gives them both points of view, I think of my teachers giving us thesis and anti-thesis, so we could learn to think. When he talks about how nice the kids are, I think of the boy who wore the suit and tie to school every day. Looking different still doesn’t matter at Field, humanity still does. When he talks about loving school, loving his teachers, his friends, the kids, poker club with Chris Lorraine, Officer Bill, Dale and classes (first time loving classes), I see a through-line connecting the teachers I had, to the teachers Sally had and the ones Tommy now has. Field is still a place where exceptional teachers with exceptional hearts and minds are trusted to find their own way to teach and reach kids.

When alumni talk of how Field changed their lives, one of the things we mean is how it informed our lives. The lessons I learned at Field still help me put things into context.

One of them, again from economic history, was the Hegalian Law of Change: everything living must grow or decay; it can not stay the same. That truth will sometimes break your heart, but, as I’ve learned in the last eight years, not always.

Field today is different than Field of my day, so is the world and so is Washington D.C. In the 70’s, this was a town where people left work at five o’clock; now you can’t throw a brick (not that you would) without hitting someone who got up at 4 am to train for a marathon before going to the office to put in a twelve hour day. Field has to adapt and they have, I think, beautifully.

As Hegal said, things do change. Schools and children grow up. But when they are rooted in values, they grow up to be someone we still love, who still feels like home.

I feel at home at Field because Elizabeth’s philosophies, values and beliefs are part of the school itself. Dale’s commitment to using them as the school’s touchstone to guide growth is firm integrating them is a priority. When I drop Tommy off, or come to a game, I see unclenched kids reaching for the sun. There are still parents who want their child to be excited by school rather than burdened by it. And they bring them to Field.

So to all of you who have served on the board, past and present, be assured the foundation Elizabeth laid – a lively approach to education, respect for an individual’s mind, a commitment to free-thinking – are still the blocks Field is building on. And as long as it does, Field will always be an exceptional school.

Benjamin Rubenstein ‘14 shared his thoughts on the second annual Field Community Service Day:This year for community service, a group of Field School students, faculty, and parents went to Leckie Elementary School to do a variety of deeds to help this school become a more enjoyable place to learn and prosper. Since I was not able to go to last year’s service day, I was more than eager to help these students and this school. As I arrived, I had to choose between four groups: building flower boxes, benches, cabinets, or painting signs. Since I have a love for carpentry, I quickly put my name down for the group that was building benches. I wanted to be rewarded at the end of the day by sitting on the beautiful bench that I had just completed.

Once I collected all the wood needed to build, I went right into it, along with my dad and fellow Field student, Marcus Robinson. We hammered nail after nail, and made sure everything was as good as we could assemble it, because we wanted these kids to be able to sit back after a long day on the ball fields at recess and just relax. When we finished putting all the wood together, it was time for the paint job. We added a nice red paint to the wood with a rusty feel to it, which made the bench stick out.

As I looked down at the bench Marcus and I created, all I was thinking about was how this bench is going to affect the community and that there is nothing better than giving back to a school who needs more than we do. This is not the kind of experience that will go in one ear and out the other, this will be cemented in my brain and influence me to do more service jobs like this in the future. Thank you City Year!

Gabe Coleman ’14 also shared his thoughts on his experiences with Field’s Community Service Day at Leckie Elementary: Field offers and hosts some wonderful events every year. Homecoming and Founders Day are probably at the top of most students lists. I believe that there is one more event that should be added to these lists: volunteering with City Year Washington DC. There are many reasons why I believe City Year should be included in these lists. Working with City Year combines so many types of fun. I look forward to this day every year! Working with City Year is such a blast. Not only do you get to hang out with members of the Field community (parents, faculty, students, alumni) but you get to help those in need. One of my favorite things about Field is the balance between having fun and working hard. City Year encompasses both of these attributes. Whether you are painting murals with parents of a seventh grader you have never met, or building benches with your two best friends, you’re working hard while having fun.

On top of having an awesome time and working hard, working with City Year incorporates one of the three prongs of Field’s mission statements: Generosity of Heart. As described by Assistant Head of School, David Buffum, Generosity of Heart “which speaks for itself: be kind to other people, reach out, make [Field] a comfortable place as it is a comfortable place for you.” While working with City Year, Field is helping to create a greater learning environment, reaching out to students/schools in need, and selflessly being kind to complete strangers.

Yana Mazurkevich ’14 also shared her thoughts on returning to Leckie Elementary for her second year of service:

I was thankful to be with friends last Saturday morning at Leckie Elementary School!! I loved everything about City Year last year, and was excited to hear that Field was going to do another trip this year. Last year, Field built bookshelves, painted murals, and danced with the kids at Garfield Elementary. I not only enjoyed painting murals, which was my task, but I also enjoyed seeing how hard everyone else was working. But, not only were people working hard, but having a total blast with their friends and teachers! I completely forgot that my teachers were my teachers. They were just my adult buddies wearing Field service day shirts. Seriously. It was an incredible feeling to know that.

I think City Year has and will always continue doing an amazing job with what they do. Last year I was more than impressed and inspired with the things they were doing. Painting murals? Genius! Not only was it fun to do, but beautiful as an end result. Same thing this year: I decided to paint. This time, we painted inspirational words on benches! How creative? Super creative I say! Others built benches and also picnic tables. By the end of the four hard-working hours, I saw how proud everyone felt, and so did I!

I would work with City Year five million more times. A lot of students from Field who participated at the service trip on March 23rd mentioned how they would want Field to do this kind of trip every season, once more in the fall and spring of the school year. I do not disagree with that at all. I enjoyed giving my time to others and knowing that I contributed to another community. City Year is one of my favorite events at Field, and would love to have this service trip to be a regular event at Field, especially when I graduate. It’s nice to know that a service day each year can continue to make others excited to give their time and help out.

Mollie Schear ’12, speaks to the seniors about her college experiences so far.

Several Field alumni share their thoughts on returning to Field for the annual senior-young alumni lunch, where the grads discuss life after Field with the soon-to-be most recently graduated senior class.

For me being at Field has always been a treat and this visit in particular was a special one. It was my first appearance back as an alumna. Everything felt different to me. I was no longer rushing in line to get lunch or cramming to sit in the Hub. I could be an outsider visiting the places where I used to live.

Having been through a semester of college, I felt that it was time to go back to my roots and offer my experiences to The Field School class of 2013 because in just a few months they would graduate and start a new part of their life, just like me.

To the class of 2013: Although we only had 80 minutes to shed light upon one of the biggest journeys of anyone’s life, we did our best as an alumni panel to illuminate anything and everything that could be thrown your way. People talked about the important details of making friends that will last, and about managing time wisely. As an alumni panel we also felt that it was key to stress was a truly great leap this experience is, and how important it is to take it all in and enjoy. I was also able to throw in my two cents about getting into sports and sciences in college, which are both great time commitments that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

The alumni panel listens to questions posed to them by the seniors.

The alumni lunch is such an important and meaningful opportunity for the seniors to hear from a diverse group of people about their college and gap year experiences. Some of us, like me, have only been out of Field for a semester, while others have been out of Field for four years and are about to complete or have already completed college.

I remember last year sitting in a crowd of seniors feeling like I had the scariest thing in the world in front me, but I wish I could have told my senior self now to really listen to what the alumni had to offer. Everything that was touched upon in the lunch I have now either experienced first hand or seen happen to a friend.

The lunch is a helpful tradition for seniors but also alumni because it establishes a culture of sharing experiences and validating the feelings that we all felt our first few months of college. It was great to see my fellow classmates and alums back at Field.

Coco Wang smiles with two friends before sitting down to chat about college.

Coco Wang, class of 2012, took the time to also share her thoughts both on college and on returning to Field as an alumna.

Even though there are a lot of physical changes to Field, such as new renovations, my feelings towards the school have not changed. It’s always intimate, warm and home-like. I think the most important thing for the seniors to understand about college is that they need to learn how to protect and utilize their time. And of course, college is fun and I’m sure they will all enjoy it!

Kevin Gardner, class of 2012, chimed in with his thoughts as well.

Visiting Field was a great experience. I have been so excited about the college experience and what I have learned, I have just been itching to tell my peers about it. Not so much the classes I have been taking, but rather how I have approached the whole experience. I feel that college is as much about the attitude you have when you approach it as it is the feelings you have during it. I want the seniors to know as much as they can about the approach to college for two reasons. First, to alleviate any nervousness they may have about it and second, so that they can have the best experience when they first arrive at college. Visiting Field as a recent graduate made me feel at home. I know I am no longer an active member of the community, but I am always welcome to be involved.

]]>https://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/annual-senior-young-alumni-lunch/feed/0thefieldschool227694_187495288063893_345814086_n1756_187495458063876_1686643660_n541000_187495951397160_681026299_nSDLC & PPoC 3-Day Conferencehttps://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/sdlc-ppoc-3-day-conference/
https://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/sdlc-ppoc-3-day-conference/#respondThu, 13 Dec 2012 19:23:53 +0000http://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/?p=1197Continue reading →]]>On December 5th eight Field students and eight Field faculty members attended a three-day long conference, the Student Diversity Leadership and People of Color Conference, in Houston, Texas.

“Although life-changing sounds kind of cheesy, I have to admit, that really describes my experience at SDLC,” said 10th grader Maya Nagan. “I haven’t opened up to people like that in a really long time.” This sentiment was shared by the Field faculty and student attendees alike.

When the Field group first arrived in Houston on Wednesday night they registered for conferences and workshops, enjoyed a dinner atthe Houston Downtown Aquarium, and prepared themselves for a busy few days. Each day of the conference started with breakfast at 7:00 am. On Thursday the 6th there was an opening ceremony which included dance performances by local Houston high schoolers and a welcome talk given by Helene Cooper, White House correspondent for The New York Times and best-selling author. Following the opening ceremony the 16 Field attendees scattered to attend various conferences.

“Throughout each day of the conference, we went to workshops created by faculty,” explained admissions counselor and biologyteacher, Florence Sun. “There was a wide range of workshop topics that included things like, ‘Teaching Social Injustice and Inequality without Creating a Greater Racial Divide,’ ‘Supporting On-Campus Alliances: The Role of White Affinity Groups,’ ‘Identity Development through Literature,’ and many, many others. There were also options to attend presentations by keynote speakers, such as Dan Choi, an Iraq war veteran and protester of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy; William Perez, researcher on academic access and achievement among immigrants and author of We ARE Americans: Undocumented Students Pursuing the American Dream; Kim Phuc Phan Thi, the ‘girl in the picture’ and founder ofthe Kim Foundation, which provides medical and psychological support to children who are victims of war; and Stephen Jones, CEO of Jones & Associates Consulting, Inc., a diversity and organizational change consulting firm. We also attended affinity group sessions separated accordingly by racial/ethnic identifiers, including international faculty, multiracial backgrounds, and transracial adoptees.”

For PoCC members, the day ended around 6:30 with a reception afterwards. SDLC ended at 10:00 pm on Thursday and 11:15 onFriday–very long days for the students who attended discussions and workshops in “Family Groups” as well as affinity groups. At night, our Field students and faculty met in a hotel room to debrief.

“I felt that it was a life-changing experience,” said 11th grader Gabe Colman. “It’s extremely hard to put my feelings, thoughts, and emotions into words but I’ll give it a shot. My favorite thing about the conference was how open and accepting everyone was. Even though I knew only eight out of the 1400 people, I felt a connection with all of them. I felt comfortable telling people I had never metsome of my deepest thoughts and emotions.”

Tenth grader Gabrielle Horton agreed with Gabe, saying, “I think that SDLC was the greatest and most impacting event that I have ever been to in my life. Even though we were required to be ready to leave at 7 in the morning and returned to the hotel at 10:30 every night, followed by an hour long debrief, I would definitely attend the conference with no hesitation despite the grueling demands. I think that other students who attended the conference wouldagree with me when I say that the experience was indescribable and filled with love and support. I know that the event stands for Student Diversity Leadership Conference, but I truly believe that theconference was more about accepting each other for who we are than just discussing diversity. At the end of our journey everyone from all over the country had an unbreakable bond with each other. Everyone was supportive of one another and connected deeply with each other. There were many tears when everyone had to leave for good. I loved this trip and I’m definitely going back next year.”

“We think it’s important to send students and faculty to SDLC and PoCC, because Field has made a major commitment to multicultural competence and education, and these conferences help to fulfill that commitment,” remarked Academic Dean, Anne Foley. “Many students have returned from SDLC with a new outlook on their ability to make change in the community, and they are usually eager to share what they experienced with their peers. In addition, PoCC is a unique opportunity for our teachers of color, who work in a majority white school, to come together with people of color from independent schools all over the world. This affinity experience can be revitalizing for our teachers.”

On the last day, Saturday, student SDLC and faculty PoCC joined together first for an affinity session and then second in regional groups, where they met with not only each other, but also withstudents and faculty from other independent schools in the DC area. This last workshop was led by the students, where they arranged a “fishbowl” conversation setting, asking questions of everyone on topics ranging from how they view socioeconomics to gender roles at these DC schools. The conference ended with the closing ceremonies, which again featured performances by local Houston students and speaker, Baratunde Thurston, Digital Director for The Onion and author of How to Be Black.

The whole Field group poses together on their last day in Houston.

“We all returned from Houston having made not only new friends from the experience,” Florence recalls, “but also with a deeper understanding of ourselves, our schools, and our own surrounding social environments.”

Field recently held its annual alumni-varsity basketball game here at Field, and had a great turnout of past and present students. The following blog post contains the reflections of two recent alums who came back to Field to see friends, former teachers and classmates, and to participate in the game.

From 2011 graduate, Rebecca Gale:

Walking into the Field gym is nothing new to me. Having spent three years playing basketball for Field, my athletic endeavors were a highlight of my high school experience. When I walked in on Wednesday, however, the feeling was new; it was my first time walking in to play a game as an alum, and it made me miss Field athletics more than ever.

Wolf Boltansky ’09 and Zack Bruno ’09

Many faces greeted me; some were familiar friends with whom I had graduated, and some were faces I had never seen before, as their time at Field ended before mine even began. Regardless, it didn’t take long to realize that everyone—despite their graduation year—was happy to be back. This only confirmed my conviction that Field is more than a school; it’s a community, a family, and a home.

The game itself wasn’t exactly my most phenomenal athletic outing, but it didn’t take long to feel like I had gone back a few years and was battling a PVAC foe. From Sonya Boltansky’s unwavering encouragement, to Q’s [Quintus Cunningham’s] brightly colored shoes, to the halftime pep talk Officer Bill gave me, it was clear that no matter how many miles away we may travel, Field remains the same and is a part of us all.

Joshua Merriweather ’12

When we come back together in the place where we played, learned, and grew as students, it doesn’t matter when each of us attended Field, but rather that we all experienced Field.

I have yet to meet someone in college who had a high school experience quite like mine, and when I come back to Field for events such as the alumni-varsity game, I’m reminded why this is the case. There simply is no other place quite like Field. Field transcends time, age, and distance, and when alums from 1978 to 2012 come together to engage in a friendly game of basketball with current students, it’s clear that no matter where life may take us, Field forever connects us.

From 2012 graduate, Zach Klaiman:

Besides family coming into town, football, and all that wonderful turkey, the Field School Alumni-Varsity basketball game is what I most look forward to during Thanksgiving break. Up until this most recent game, I had been playing for the non-alumni team. I hadn’t the slightest clue as to the identity of some of these older people I was playing. All I knew is that they went to Field at some point, so we had some kind of connection.

Forrest Rilling ’07, Jay Nemeyer ’05 and Jared Coleman ’06

Some of the people I played against in previous years were very close friends of mine—Field graduates from two to three years ago. I loved seeing what they were doing with their lives and asking them about their experiences both from their time at Field and beyond. It always made me excited to think about how, very soon, I would be on the other team while the current Field students would be looking at me the same way I looked at the ones before me.

Going back to Field to play in the alumni game, as an alum this time, truly was an interesting experience.Honestly, it was a little strange at first. This was my first time home since I left for college in August, so this was my first time on theField campus as a college kid. I walked through the doors of the gym and sure enough, Officer Bill and Kermit, two of my biggest supporters and best friends during my time at Field, greeted me with open arms. It felt just like senior year again.

Current students Celia Boltansky, Saige Honig and Sydney Klaiman

I continued to see familiar faces as more people arrived for the game-—teachers and fellow alumni I had not seen in awhile. I saw current Field students who have been like little siblings to me over the years. A little trash talk for the upcoming game took place, but that was inevitable. I wanted to chat with them all day and catch up, but that would have to wait. It was game time.

Sam Mason ’11 and Jay Nemeyer ’05

Playing against the current Field varsity team, I couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of them. I dedicated so much of my time at Field to the basketball team. The relationships I had made with my coaches and teammates are ones that I will never forget.I still know the plays like the back of my hand. So playing against them and not being part of the team felt strange and honestly a little sad at first. However, as the game went on (and might I add that it was a very intenseand well played game), it became clear that I am still part of the team. All of the alumni playing are still part of the Field basketball team. Even though we aren’t at the school playing in the games anymore, we are still there in spirit and in heart.

I feel like that is the purpose of the Field Alumni-Varsity basketball game. To bring the whole team together. The game came down to the wire, but in the end the opposing team won. I was disappointed but also very proud—proud to be part of a community that can be such great friends off the court yet compete and give nothing but their all on the court. I can’t wait until next year!

Be True, Fly High, Go Field!

]]>https://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/returning-to-field/feed/0thefieldschoolImageImageImageImageImageImageWyoming Ave. Alumni Reconnect on Foxhall Roadhttps://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/998/
https://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/998/#respondTue, 06 Nov 2012 18:23:25 +0000http://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/?p=998Continue reading →]]>Field School classes of ’81 and ’82 had a reunion on Saturday, October 20th from 6-8 pm on the school’s new campus (well, new to the classes of ’81 and ’82) in the Cafritz living room. Persephone Zill took the time to write about the experience of seeing her Field classmates again:

Field Classes of ’81 and ’82

It was wonderful to be together Saturday night at the reunion in DC. A bunch of us were struck by the bond we quickly re-established despite all the years that have passed… Here’s who came from our class: Tom Canick, Julian Ferris, Josh Harris, Judy Vogt, Alex Ladd, Mary Lee (via phone), Jane Pfeiffer, Peter Sonnenreich, Michael Wainwright, Alex Weiner, Dan Wiley, John Williams, Elizabeth Wolstein, and Katherine and Persephone Zill.

Sharaine Ely and Natalia Kormeluk

We took a tour of the new campus and were really impressed. Field remains quite intimate and yet now has a full scale amazing gym, high tech computer and chemistry labs, lunch rooms, and even a bar/club space with a dance floor for performances and creative classes. We saw our teachers Barbara, Natalia and Sharaine, and reminisced about classes and trips we did with them.

Afterwards (at the Town Hall restaurant),we caught up about our lives, sharing our professions, details about kids and pets, the need for reading glasses, etc. We stayed until after midnight, enjoying the chance to reconnect. We all agreed we should definitely do more (we want to see everyone) and we’re thinking about a possible New York gathering, a 76ers game in Philadelphia, and the Field School 40th anniversary events next spring.

Katherine Zill, Persephone Zill and Dale Johnson

A great big THANK YOU to Janine, Joanne, Will and Dale for all you did to make it a great evening! I’ll end with Field’s motto (created by Elizabeth in Latin) which our class certainly achieved:

Dare to be Wise,

Persephone, ’82

]]>https://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/998/feed/0thefieldschoolreunion3DSC_0842reunion2reunion1Returning Home to Fieldhttps://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/returning-home-to-field/
https://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/returning-home-to-field/#respondThu, 25 Oct 2012 20:55:45 +0000http://thefieldschool.wordpress.com/?p=982Continue reading →]]>On Thursday evening, October 18, 2012, The Field School hosted the first of two “Elements of Education” forums as part of celebrating its 40th anniversary. This panel discussion focused on the ideas in the book The Element by Sir Ken Robinson. The panel was moderated by Chris Osmond, a professor of education at Appalachian State University in North Carolina—who taught Spanish, English, Theater, and Music at Field from 1993-1999.

Also on the panel was Helen Steinberg, mother of Arielle Steinberg ’98, and a specialist on students with learning differences. In addition, the panel boasted the presence of Chris Willcox ’06, who is an artist and television producer, working with Nobel Laureate Eric Kandel on current research in the human brain.

We asked Chris, Helen, and Chris each to reflect on returning to The Field School after some time away.

Chris Osmond with Field Alumna Joanna Navarro

Chris Osmond:

I do not remember the first time I walked into a Field classroom, not clearly. But I sure remember the vibe of the main lobby on Wyoming Street: loud kids with bright eyes and frayed, sagging pants who hung on each other like stadium blankets, teachers who seemed to move through the hall to their own theme songs (Tait Colberg’s was “Dynamo Hum;” Craig Farmer’s was “The Boys Are back in Town;” Claire Calvin’s was “I Saw the Sign.” Perhaps I was the only one who heard them). I could tell from the beginning that this was a place where different kinds of work happened, and that the kind of energy I wanted to bring into teaching would be welcomed here. Most of all, I remember wanting, desperately, to get a chance to do it. I could not have imagined a place like this had I not seen it. I could not imagine what it would be like to teach here. But I wanted to find out very, very badly.

That’s pretty much how it went down for me. I remember fighting traffic down 16th street on dazzling fall mornings, trying combinations of class ideas out in my head until I screeched into the treacherous car pile-up behind the Old Building ready to announce “Will, I know what we’re going to do today.” I remember cross country runs drafting on Dale and Will McFadden and Will Lang and Michael “the Gurminator” Gurman, sailing between the pedestrians on Connecticut Avenue like young gods. I remember holing up in the Carriage House during Work Internship and on Tuesday afternoons and Saturday mornings pulling together this play or that one, this song or that one, endless hours lost in the no-time and no-space of raw, real creation, coming back to the world to walk to Embassy Market for Doritos and Diet Pepsi before plunging in again. The stunned applause of an audience amazed to see us pull off Little Shop of Horrors or the break in “500 Miles High,” or the swordplay in Moon Over Buffalo or the set change in My Fair Lady. Danielle and Adam and Michelle and Sean and Hannah and Cory and Johanna and Emre and Oscar and Blair and Patti and Lauren and Brandon and always, always, always, Michael Tyner. The yearbooks are over there on the shelf, but I don’t need them to remember your names and hear your voices again. I will never, never forget you.

To go back to Field is to go back to the spring that fed the best ideas I’ve ever had: Teaching is a vocation – a civic duty of almost unimaginable importance, and at the same time something you can do every day and still love to do. Difference and discord is beautiful and vital and a sign of life. Working for a long time at something means it becomes part of you and you of it. Beauty matters. Precision matters. Giving a damn matters. Telling the truth about what it is like for you matters.

As I prepare North Carolina public school teachers now, I am almost embarrassed to cop to the richness of the environment where I cut my teaching teeth:

I was never dissuaded from pursuing an idea of what we might do.

No one ever told me that “wouldn’t work here.”

My strengths were lavishly recognized, and my weaknesses were welcomed and forgiven and nurtured into new strengths.

I saw each of my students as individuals, and was encouraged to help them be whatever they were on their way to being.

I was the luckiest teacher in the world.

—Chris Osmond

Helen Steinberg:

“Keeping Field Field” was the most important consideration when the decision was made to move The Field School from Wyoming Avenue to Foxhall Road. Founder Elizabeth Ely, the Board of Trustees, students, teachers, and parents were obsessed with the idea that this unique educational institution needed to maintain its initial mission despite a move to arguably the most beautiful setting in Washington, D.C. Did we succeed in maintaining The Field School’s philosophy and mission?

Without a doubt, the answer is “yes.”

Having spent last Thursday night at The Field School, as a participant in the Elements of Education program, it was reassuring to meet current students and parents, as well as new and veteran teachers, and hear the same themes we talked about ten years ago. Field stands out among its friendly competitors because of its focus is on the student. Field does not make empty promises to students and families. Students get what they need without hesitation. Although the school has increased its population, class size remains small so that students can get individual attention.

And The Field School continues to admit students with different strengths and weaknesses and supports those with learning differences and ADHD. The Admissions office welcomes artists, athletes and academicians, understanding that having students with a variety of skills and interests sitting together in the classroom creates a much richer learning experience. It is understood that adolescence is a time of questioning and risk-taking, and both teachers and administrators are prepared to deal with students who may make mistakes, who can experiment with and explore their passions. Working in the ceramics studio on a daily basis or trying out a new sport allows students to stretch themselves in a way that is unique when compared with other schools. Field recognizes that the process is more important than the product—a test score or grade on a paper does not tell the whole story.

As I sat in the Cafritz house, I was surrounded by beauty both inside and out, a far cry from The Field School on Wyoming Avenue. Most importantly, I knew that through the stewardship of Dale, Will, Natalia and so many others, Field has indeed remained Field. In the final analysis, it’s the message and not the mortar that has changed the lives of so many students.

—Helen Steinberg

Chris Willcox:

There’s a special awkward ambivalence about going back to high school. It’s a nostalgic familiarity of Well Here We Are Again tinged with all the retrospective unease that typically surrounds face-to-face reunions with persons from one’s adolescence. There are mild but ultimately deep-seeded expectations of redemptive rekindlings of formerly asymmetrical student-teacher relationships, and a vague hope of rediscovering something about yourself you had left behind in those since-forgotten hallways. No part of this feeling is alleviated when the occasion of your return is an afterschool presentation attended by your former teachers, principal, and, like every other high school event, your ever-doting mother. This familiar audience gives the whole thing an eerie aspect of temporal displacement, which only heightens the nostalgia, except this time on the stage instead of belting out another awkward teenage rendition of “Blue Bossa” or “Take Five” or whatever other middlebrow pre-1970’s jazz favorites the school band used to play, you’re sitting amongst a panel of austere PhDs telling parents and teachers about how to “educate the workers of the twenty-first century.” I guess high school always was a little surreal.

Like many other so-called creative people, I have mixed feelings about my secondary education. Granted, the Field School isn’t exactly known for jock-and-cheerleader social exclusion, but even in a place so thoroughly permeated by hardcore leftist open-mindedness there are features of adolescence awkwardness that leave you invariably feeling alienated. High school is that special time in which you figure out key aspects of your personality and natural disposition. It is a time in which you answer such key questions as Am I funny? Am I smart? Am I popular, or athletic, or attractive, or kind of not really any of those? And then, well . . ., then what? The method of discovery here is partially trial-by-fire, partially imitation of The Big Kids, and almost always doing whatever you can to avoid social ridicule. These methods typically cash out in ways too personally humiliating and professionally compromising to commit to writing of any kind, but the memory of the terrible clothing and even worse haircuts will forever reverberate through the halls of my alma mater. This said, the most dramatic part about going back to high school is the juxtaposition of your at least slightly resolved adult self meeting your totally unresolved adolescent self on its home turf, which is basically the same kind of experience as when Marty McFly’s girlfriend meets the future version of herself in Back to the Future Part II.

What makes the whole affair even weirder is when you’re coming back to school not just to satisfy the yearning of your own nostalgia but in order to be the alumni presence on a panel of qualified experts. According to one administrator I was the panel’s “prized wildcard,” which strikes me as one of the more flattering ways Field School administrators have described me. As a student I skirted expulsion a number of times, I was rude to my teachers, disruptive, and generally a pain to be around. That seven years later I would be invited to present to the community shows the sort of remarkable place that is The Field School. If the role of secondary education can be construed as fostering a safe environment in which students are allowed to take risks and make mistakes in order to carve out their own personal and intellectual path, then The Field School excels. The key to the school is and always has been to see the student not as an agent of youthful and recklessness behaviors or as a set of standardized scores, but as a unique individual with a specific potential. Rather than taking the easy path of creating a homogenized troupe of high-scoring well-behaved overachievers, Field aims to pull personhood out of the student in that necessarily messy and awkward form that growing up has to take. Of course, the goal has never been to end up with a fully formed and self-actualized eighteen year old by the end of the program, but to instill in the minds of the students what the rocky road of self-identity ends up being. The Field School’s approach to personhood, which, by the way, is the right one, is summarized well by the novelist Philip Roth: “The fact remains that getting people right is not what living is all about anyway. It’s getting them wrong that is living, getting them wrong and wrong and wrong and then, on careful reconsideration, getting them wrong again.”